Car end construction.



LEHMANN. GAR .END GONSTRUGTION APPLGAT'ION FILED B50151913.. l j

Patented Jan. 5, 191.5.

z MEETS-SHEET 1.

LMS/g I I i l l l A. E. LEHMANN.

- GAR END CONSTRUCTION. APPLIGATION FILED DEG.15,1913.

Patented @11.5, 1915.

SHEETS-.SHEET 2.

merrain `srafrnei ramener cierren.

ARTHUR E. LEHMANN, OF ST. CHARLES',v MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO COMMONWEALTH STEEL COMPANY, A COREORATON OF NEW JERSEYS. I

CAB END CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led December 15, 1913'. Serial No. 806,801.

ITo all whom t may concern:

" city of St. Charles, State of Missouri, have,"

invented la' certain new and'useful improve-A ment'in Car End Construction, of which the vfollowing is afull, clear, and exact description, such-as will enable others skilled in the .art to which it appertains to make and use thesaine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whichf Figure l is an end elevation of a car underframe and portionof the superstructure, and showing my improved reinforc ing frames applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken approximately on the.

line 2-2'of Fig; l. Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of one of the car end reinforc ing frames. Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of la gondola car with a reinforcing frame of my improved construction, and

formed in a single piece, applied to the inside of the end wall. Fig. 5

vational view of the end of a gondola car with the interior reinforcement at the end` thereof. Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of a gondola'cai with a reinforcing frame of my improved construction applied to the exterior ofsaid car. Fig. 7 is a side elevational vieW lof the end portion ofa gondola car with the exterior reinforcement-applied thereto. Fig. 8 is an end elevational vievvr of a reinforcing frame of my improved construction, the same being combined with the lower portions of the end posts of-a box car.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal' section taken approximately on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.. Fig. 10 is a side elevational viewpf a 'reinforcing member of my improved` constructiom the same being pirovided with a depending liange which face of the end sill or buder beam ofthe ear underframe. l i i My invention relates generally to railway car construction, `and more particularly to the construction of the ends of theA cars, the principal object of my invention being to provide a strong and rigid structure which will materially reinforce the endspof the cars and which will effectually resist end shocks and crushing stresses, thereby reducing to a minimum the tendency of car bodies to telescope during collisions.

titi

A. further object of my invention is to is a side ele-r ts directly against the.. outer f provide a reinforcing member preferably in the' form of a cast metal skeleton frame which is adapted to be applied to the inside or outside of a gondola or box car, and which frame can be advantageously used in the construction of new cars or for repairing cars which have been in service.

In order-to materially strengthen and reinforce the end portions of cars, various metal structures have been devised and are Patenten aan. s, isis.'

at present in general use, which structures include metalrunderframes, platforms, huifing sills, one piece end frames and reinforced coiiiei posts, and to further strengthen and reinforce the ends of cars, Ipropose to provide cast metal skeleton frames lo cated upon the underframe end sill or buffer beam, which frames combine readily with the underframe and end Wall construction to form a shock absorbing and resisting structure which materially reinforces Vand strengthens the extreme ends of the cai' superstructure. f

U My improved reinforcing frames are particularly designed for use in connection with blind end cars having either cast steel or built-up underframes.A

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed. Referring by numerals to the accompany ing drawings, 1 designates the buffer beam of a car underframe, and projecting rearwardly from the end portions thereof are the usual side sills 2.

My improved end reinforcing members which are applied to the buffer beam l to ,the sides of the end door opening, are each formed in a single piece, preferably by castin and each frame comprises a flanged base railfB, a flanged tp rail 4, an inner post or upright 5, an outer post or upright 6, and,

an vintermediate or upright post 7 Formed corner posts of the car bodyare fixed in any suitable manner directly to the posts or uprights 6 and the forward portions of the plates 8, and the lower ends of said corner posts are fixed in the usual manner to the ends of the buffer beam 1. The posts or uprights 5 at the inner ends of the reinforcing frame-s are fixed by means of rivets or like fastening devices to the lower portions of the vestibule postsl1, and formed integral with the lower ends of saidposts 5 and with the corresponding ends'of the bottomv rails 3, are forwardly projecting plates XiTi-12 which bear upon and are fixed to the buffer beam 1 near the lower ends of said vestibule posts.

Car end wall posts 13 between the vestibule posts and corner posts, are fixed in any suitable manner to the intermediate posts 7 The lower portions of the car end sheets 14 overlie and are 1i`xed to the reinforcing frames in any suitable manner, preferably by means of rivets.

Where my improved reinforcing frames are applied to'cars which do not require an end door opening, the upper and lower portions of the frames can be connected by cross rails, such as 15, and said rails may be formed integral with the frames or made separate and attached thereto.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the reinforcing member is in the form of an upright skeleton frame comprising a base member 16, a top rail or member'17, a series of uprights 18, and side sill engaging brackets 19 which project rearwardly from the ends of the skeleton frame.` The reinforcing frame thus formed is applied to the inside of a gondola car at the end thereof with the base rail 16 resting upon the end sill or buffer beam of the underframe', with the skeleton frame engaging the inner face of the end wall or sheet of the car body and with the brackets 19 engaging upon and fixed to the side sills"of the underframe. Such construction, which is applicable for either new or old cars, materially strengthens and reinforces the end portions of said cars.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, the reinforcement is in the form of an upright skeleton frame 20 which -55 is applied to the outside ofthe end of a.

gondola car, said i frame being directly against and being x'ed to the end wall of the car with the base rail fixed to the end sill or buffer beam and with the brackets at the ends of the reinforcing frame, engaging upon the end portions of the side sills. This form of reinforcement is applicable for' upon the end sill or buffer beam of a car having end posts and in this particular construction the .vertical members 21 of the remforcement are preferably made channelshape in cross section and receive the lower portions of the end posts.

In the modified construction illustrated in F ig. 10, the lower rail of the skeleton frame is provided with a depending fiange 22 which, when the frame is applied to the car, engages Y.directly against the outer face of the end sill or buffer beam, and the-side sill engaging brackets on the ends ofthe frame are provided with depending flanges 22a which engage directly against the ends of the end sill or buffer beam, and the end p0rtions of the side sill.

Reinforcing frames of my improved construction are comparatively simple, can be cheaply produced, are adapted to be cornbined with various types of cars, and when -properly positioned, unite with the under frame and end posts of the car superstructure, to provide a very strong and rigid structure which will resist severe end shocks and crushing stresses due to collisions, thereby materially reducing the tendency of cars to telescope and afford a maximum degree of safety to life and property.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and. construction of the various parts of my improved car end construction can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The hereindescribed car end reinforcing member comprising a skeleton frame adapted to be applied to the end portion of a buffer beam, a bracket integral with the outer end of said skeleton frame, which bracket extends rearwardly from said frame and is adapted to engage the side sill of the underframe, and a gusset pla'tebetweenthe" lower portion of the skeleton bracket.

2. The hereindescribed car end reinforcing member comprising a skeleton frame adapted to be -applied to the end portion of a buffer beam, a bracket integral with the outer end of said skeleton frame, which frame and bracket extends rearwardly from said frame merecer and is adapted to engage the side sill yof the underframe, a gusset plate between the lower portion of the skeleton frame and frame adapted to engage the vestibule posts,

soY

bracket, and a plate integral With the inner end of the skeleton frame, which plate is dapted to engage and be xed to the buEer eam.

frame and vestibule and corner posts, 'of reinforcing; members arranged on the buffer beam of the underframe to the sides of the end door opening, each tot which members comprises a skeleton frame arranged between the vestibule -post and corner post, a

bracket integral With said .skeleton frame,

which bracket projectsrearwardly from the corner post and rests upon the, underframe side sill and a plate integral with the inner end of the skeleton ra'me,which plate isA adapted tov engage' and be fixed to the buer beam. p f

4c. The combinationl With a car undertrame, of a pair of .reinforcing members applied to the buer beam 'ofthe under-- ranieto the sides of the enoldoor opening, each of which memberscomprises a skeleton the corner posts andthe intermediate posts ofthe car end structure, brackets integral with the ends of said skeleton frames, which brackets engage the' end portions'of the underrame side sills and a-plate integral with the inner end of` the skeleton frame, which plateis adapted to engage and be fixed to the buer beam.-

5. The combination4 vvitli a car .underv c frame, of a pair ,of reinforcing members applied tothebuer beam of the underframe to .thesides of thel end' door, opening, each of which members, comprises a skeleton frame adapted to engage the. vestibule posts,

V tlie corner posts, and 'the intermediate posts of the car end'structilre,A brackets integral With the ends of said skeleton iframes, which I.brnizkets engage the end portions rof the un- 3. 'The combination Witli alcar underderfranie side sills, and gusset plates between the lower portions of the skeleton frames and the brackets.

6. rlhe hereindescribed reinforcing mem.-

ber for car ends comprising a skeleton frame Ycomposed of top and bottom rails and a series of upriglits, a vertically dis-I posed bracket integral With the outer one of said uprights, which bracket is arranged at right angles to the rails of the skeleton frame, and a gusset plate integral with the lower portion et said bracket and-tbe bot- .disposed plate integral with the. lovverend of the inner oneo the uprights of the skeleton frame.

8. As a new cast metal reinforcing member comprising a frame adapted to be positioned on the end portion of a buerfbeam or end sill forengaging the lower portion ci tbe car end Wall and reinforcing the lovve'r portion` of.

the car end frame, aside sill engaging article. of manufacture, a v

bracket integral with the end of said rein-1 forcing -frameandvan integral gusset plate between the lowenportions of. said frame and bracket.

ln testimony whereof yl hereunto ax my signature in the presence of two Witnesses, ythis 5th Aday of December,'l9l3. ,v

' terrines. LEHMANN,

Witnesses A i l Y Nil?. SMITH, M. A. HANDEL. 

